National Day Of
by fbis.most.unwanted
Summary: Castle is bored and comes across a website with a list of national days and decides to start celebrating.
1. March 14

Chapter One: March 14

As soon as Kate Beckett walked into the apartment, she knew something was different, not necessarily wrong, just… off. A sweet aroma hung in the air, filling her lungs the moment she took a breath. "What are you doing?" Kate asked incredulously when she saw the scene before her.

Beckett's eyes moved from countertop to countertop, and on nearly all of them, she found the same thing: pies –apple, cherry, pecan, and several others she couldn't identify on sight. The detective couldn't have been gone for more than a few hours; how did one man make all of these?

"I'm making pies," Richard Castle answered, closing the stove door and taking off an oven mitt as he turned around to face Kate. He dusted a bit of flour from his sleeve and glanced at his array of desserts, as if proudly displaying his work.

"I can see that," Beckett responded. "I was more wondering _why _you are making pies."

"It's March fourteenth," Castle replied, as though today's date was somehow an explanation for his apartment being turned into bakery. Seeing Kate's remaining confusion, Castle continued, "Today is National Pi Day –pi, as in the number describing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, which is approximately 3.14159265."

"Okay, I get it," Beckett cut him off, knowing that Castle would have kept talking if no one intervened. "Since when do we celebrate National Pi Day?"

"Well, the case is over, and you know I don't do paperwork. I was on the internet, and I found a website with one of those 'National Days Of' lists. And apparently today is National Pi Day," Castle answered.

"Castle, those are not national holidays; they're made up by anyone with internet access and time to kill," Beckett told him.

"I know," Castle responded. "Like I said, I was bored, and I wasn't getting any writing done anyway, so I figured why not?"

Beckett shook her head, a small smile finding its way onto her lips as she approached the counter. Castle handed her a piece of cherry pie and shortly after picked one out for himself. Kate took a bite. Knowing Castle, she was certain that this would not be the end of National Days.


	2. March 16

Chapter Two: March 16

Beckett found Castle sitting on the couch, newspaper in hand. Wait, Castle actually reading a newspaper? She had to do a double take just to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"I didn't know you read the paper, Castle," Beckett said, making her way into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"There's a first time for everything," Castle said, folding up the paper and setting it down on the coffee table. He strutted into the kitchen with that subtle smirk just barely crossing his lips which only confirmed Kate's suspicions that he was planning something.

"Okay, what's going on?" Beckett asked.

"Tell me, Beckett, if you could know anything –absolutely _anything_- what would it be?" Castle leaned in closer, resting his elbows on the counter.

"Maybe why you're asking me this at nine a.m. on a Sunday," Kate answered between sips of her coffee.

"Oh come on," Castle scoffed. "Really? Out of all the information in the universe, there isn't _one _thing that you want to know?"

Beckett had to think about this. Surprisingly, his question wasn't an easy one to answer, especially so when you factor in that she'd just woken up not twenty minutes ago. There were lots of things that she wanted to know, but choosing something to start with proved to be more difficult than it should be.

"I guess I'd want to know who killed my mom," Kate replied after a few moments of contemplation. She saw a hint of sadness appear on Castle's face, but it was so slight that it wouldn't be noticed if you weren't looking for it.

On a lighter note, she added, "Why are you asking?"

"Because it's March sixteenth –National Freedom of Information Day," Castle responded.


	3. March 20

Chapter Three: March 20

The high pitched beeping of the microwave sent Richard Castle on his way to the kitchen. Grabbing a bowl from one of the cabinets overhead, he poured the popcorn in, before adding a fair amount of salt to it as well.

The sun had just gone down, and Castle didn't bother to turn on the lights, which made the tasks of finding his way back to the couch without tripping and finding the remote more difficult than they should be.

After settling down, he allowed himself to pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and simply enjoy the quiet. Tonight was the first night in a long while –far too long- that Castle actually had the night to himself. Beckett was out with some old friends, and he had been able to coax Martha into embarking on a girls' night with Alexis, which meant that Castle would have the apartment to himself.

Ending his moment of silence, Castle clicked on the TV and put his feet up on the coffee table –something he knew Beckett would scold him for, but it didn't matter because she wasn't here.

Castle leaned back into the soft fabric of his couch and immersed himself in reruns of _The X-Files_, thinking that there couldn't possibly be a better way to celebrate National Extraterrestrial Abductions Day.


	4. March 22

Chapter Four: March 22

"You have got to be kidding me," Kate Beckett snapped, snatching up the paper airplane that had landed on her desk. She crumpled it up and tossed it into the trash, at the same time, searching for its origin.

It didn't take long for Beckett's eyes to find Castle, his face bearing the typical "oops" expression.

"What are you doing?" Beckett asked.

"Making paper airplanes," Castle answered, reaching into his jacket pocket to reveal four more of the contraptions, varying in shapes and sizes.

Beckett didn't say anything, only glared at him from behind her desk.

"C'mon, Beckett, loosen up," Castle said. "It's National Goof Off Day –a day when we should be carefree."

"That's every day for you," Beckett responded.

"Come on, just try it," Castle sighed, placing one paper airplane on her desk.

"No. I'm trying to work," Becket refused to take her eyes off of her computer screen.

"Come on," Castle scooted the plane closer to her.

"No," Beckett insisted.

"Please," Castle said. "For me."

Beckett sighed, realizing that if she didn't give in, he would never leave. "If throwing this airplane will make you leave me alone, then fine."

Beckett picked up the paper airplane and gave it a good toss. It soared across the precinct and landed on the floor by the stairs. She remained solemn as Castle walked over to retrieve it, seeming quite pleased with himself, but when he was gone, Kate couldn't help cracking a smile.


	5. March 25

Chapter Five: March 25

"You made waffles?" Kate Beckett followed the scent of fresh breakfast into the kitchen, where she found Castle already at the counter, plate of waffles in front of him.

"I did," Castle replied. He put down his book and slid a plate to Beckett across the countertop. She grabbed it and took two waffles.

Castle served himself some breakfast as well, along with venturing into the fridge to retrieve the bottle of orange juice.

Beckett checked the time –it was seven o'clock. She was surprised she hadn't been called in today, not that she was hoping for a murder, of course; it was just unusual.

The two ate in silence, with only the clinking of silverware to break it. It was pleasant and allowed the both of them some time to relax.

As Kate's eyes scanned the room, they fell upon a book. "Didn't you already read _The Hobbit_?"

"Classics never get old," Castle answered. He had indeed read _The Hobbit _before –this was time number four, to be exact. "You can read it if you want. I'm almost finished."

"No thanks," Beckett responded. Despite the many _Lord of the Rings _marathons Castle had made her sit through, Tolkien had never been her thing. "So, what's with the breakfast?"

"I'm so glad you asked," Castle grinned. "Today happens to be National Waffle Day and National Tolkien Reading Day."

"I see," Kate smiled back. Before she could say anything else, her phone rang –it was the precinct.

"Beckett," she answered. "Yeah, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Murder?" Castle asked.

"Yep, you coming?" Kate grabbed her jacket off of the chair.

"This day keeps getting better and better," Castle followed her out to the car.


	6. May 3

Chapter Six: May 3

"I'll be there in ten minutes," Castle promised, saying goodbye to Beckett and hanging up the phone. He grabbed his keys from their place on the counter and made his way to his car.

Traffic was not too bad, which wasn't surprising, given that it was ten in the morning on a Saturday. Glancing at the clock and realizing that he would make it to the precinct in plenty of time, Castle decided to make the most of these precious extra minutes.

…

"You said ten minutes," Beckett said as she saw Castle pull into the parking lot of the 12th, crossing her arms over her chest while waiting for his response.

"Sorry, I got a bit sidetracked," Castle replied. After running three red lights, he had managed to complete his journey in twenty-two minutes.

"With what?" Beckett continued.

"Well," Castle began. "It's Free Comic Book Day.

"I delayed a murder investigation for Free Comic Book Day?" Beckett asked.

"Would it help if I said that I brought some for you guys?" Castle picked up the pile of comic books that were sitting in the passenger seat and held them up.

"No, it would not help," Beckett said. Even as annoyed as she was, she had to force down a laugh as she watched Ryan and Esposito eagerly start looking through the comic books.

**I'm sorry that I haven't done anything with this story in over a month. This chapter idea was given to me by the lovely lutheranapriljones. **


	7. May 4

Chapter Seven: May 4

"I don't think you've moved since I left," Beckett said when she returned to the apartment to find Castle still on the couch, eyes glued to the TV in front of him.

"Where do you think the popcorn came from?" Castle said, his eyes only glancing away from the screen for a brief moment.

Beckett chuckled as she sat down on the couch beside Castle.

"How many times have you seen this one?" Kate asked, having spent enough time with Castle to recognize the fourth –or was it the fifth? - Star Warsmovie.

"Hmm," Castle had to think about this for a minute. "Including right now, forty-two."

"Don't you ever get bored of watching the same thing over and over again?" Beckett questioned. Then again, she could watch Nebula 9 reruns for hours, so she was no stranger to day-long marathons.

"The Empire Strikes Back is a cinematic masterpiece," Castle answered. "Besides, today's National Star Wars Day, which means that I'm practically obligated to watch all six movies."

"So you've watched about ten hours of Star Wars today?" Beckett said.

"Yes," Castle replied. "And that's not even my record."


	8. May 20

Chapter Eight: May 20

"No National Day today, Castle?" Beckett asked, coffee in one hand and a magazine in the other as she made her way over to the couch. It was her day off, and she was finally going to get some down time.

Sure, Kate loved her job, and the adrenaline rush of chasing killers all over the city was a good way to wake yourself up in the morning, but it was time that Beckett had some time to relax.

But with Castle, there was no relaxing.

"There's National Pick Strawberries Day, Quiche Lorraine Day," Castle kept his eyes on the screen of his laptop and continued to read. "And Be a Millionaire Day. That sounds fun."

"Isn't that every day?" Kate asked, flipping the pages of the latest issue of _Vogue_.

"Yes, but I don't _celebrate _it every day," Castle corrected her.

"Tell that to the remote control helicopter you bought last week," Beckett said. "And the TV you ordered yesterday."

"Ha ha," Castle responded. "Seriously, how can I celebrate?"

"Why don't you go write? You can get your publisher off your back and give me some peace and quiet," Beckett suggested. "Maybe you'll make another million and we can celebrate again next year."


End file.
